Harold boyd



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HAROLD BOYD, OF TAMVVORTH, ENGLAND.

ietnsi'me pownn.

SPECIEIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,990, dated April 11, 1899. Application filed December 31, 1897 Serial noi'easms. (No specimens.) I

To all whom, it may concern Beit known that I, HAROLD BOYD, mining engineer, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Fair View, \Vigginton, Tamworth, in the county of Stafford, England, have invented certain new'and useful Improvements in Explosives, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an explosive mixture or compound which is intended espeeiallyfor mining purposes, the chief object being to obtain a powerful and safe blasting explosive that can be fired without a detonator and which after firing will not leave hehind poisonous or noxious fumes, which are particularly objectionable when using ordinary blasting explosives in confined places. An explosive of this description has been previously patented and issued to me under United States Patent No. 577,351, dated February 16, 1897; but since the date of such patent I have discovered that an explosive of such description can be obtained by mixing together ingredients other than those set forth in the specification of the aforesaid prior patentl According: to my present invention I employ the following ingredients in or about theproportions' stated: nitrate of soda, seven parts, by weight; sulphur, four parts, by

"fweight; ,picrate of ammonia, two parts, by

weight;,' .bichromatc of potash, one part, by weight; peat-dust, one part, by weight; co n- -."-mercial lime, one-to three parts, by weight.

The said ingredients are mixed together with cotton-seed oil and compressed into cartridges for general mining purposes I do not confine m'yself'to the exact proportions of the ingredients above, stated, as such proportions may be varied according to the strength of explosive required, .The use of the said ,e'xplosiveis not confined to blasting purposes alone, as lityrn ayalso be used for 5 ballistic purposes.

'lhepeai-flrmt, which forms one of the ingredients' (if my compound, serves to prevent "friction between the active ingredients and constitutes what may be termed a buffer. Such frictiommight be caused by an accidental shock or jar to the explosive and would but for the butter bring about an explosion. It has been found thatcertain explosive mix tures that would explode on any concussion or shock occurring near them will not do so if a proper buffer substance be incorporated with the mixture. Peat-dust has been found to be an excellent substance for the purpose;

but I do not care to confine myself to its use,

but reserve the right to substitute therefor any other equivalent material, such as sawammonia, bichromate of potash, amhconh mercial lime.

3. A funieless explosive consisting of a mixture of nitrate of soda, sulphur, picrate of ammonia, bichromatc of potash, and cottonseed oil.

4. A fumeless explosive,consistin g of a mixture of nitrate of soda, sulphur, pier-ate of ammonia, bichromate of potasln'pcat-dust, and commercial lime, substantially as described. I

5. Afumelcssexplosivc,consisting ofamixture of nitrate of soda, sulphur, picratc of ammonia, bichromate of potash, peat-dust commercial "lime,'and cottonseed oil, substantially as described.

In. testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of December, 1897.

p HAROLD llOYl).

Witnesses:

If. 1;. GREEN, W. M, llamas. 

